The present invention relates to locating a liner within a sewer pipe during pipeline repair and particularly during cured in-place pipeline repair (CIPP). CIPP is typically a fabric tube, impregnated with a liquid resin, formed inside of an existing conduit and cured to become a one-piece, continuous new pipelining. CIPP is used to renew main sewer pipes or lateral sewer pipes as well as other types of conduits. When using CIPP for renewing both main and lateral pipes, the lining is either pulled in place and inflated or inverted and inflated.
A cleanout pipe is typical in all plumbing codes and therefore a cleanout pipe is common on lateral sewer pipes. The cleanout pipe provides one access point for entering the lateral. Another way of access is done remotely through a manhole into the main pipe and then into a lateral pipe. FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation showing the relationship between a main line pipe 10, a lateral pipe 12, manholes 14, 16, a cleanout pipe 18 and a house 20.
The liner may either be pulled into place or inverted into place. When a liner is pulled into place, either the lining has an outer coating or it does not have an outer coating. If the lining has an outer coating, the resin impregnated into the lining will remain contained within the coated tube preventing resin from migrating into pipe breaks and open joints. If the lining does not have an outer coating, the resin impregnated into the lining may be contaminated and even wiped off during the pulling in process.
A pulled in-place liner requires two access points. One access point is a manhole, which is commonly located in public streets. The other access point may be another manhole or can also be a cleanout pipe. However, it is often undesirable to require two separate access points and it would generally be considered advantageous to require only one access point.
The inversion method requires only one access point. It is generally a superior methodology to invert a liner, allowing the liner to be inserted into the pipe from only one access point, and allowing resin to contact the pipe directly and migrate into broken areas of the pipe without damaging the liner. However, inverting a liner through a cleanout pipe 18 and into the lateral line 12 creates an upstream side 38 (FIG. 2) blocking off the lateral line and service to the house. This is because in the prior art the liner is within both the cleanout pipe 18 and the lateral pipe 12, blocking off the lateral pipe 12 at 38. Therefore, the lining will need to be cut out after the resin has cured to reinstate service to the house. This type of reinstating process requires expensive equipment, requires additional time and if the cut is not smooth, solids will build up on the lining, causing backups.
It is therefore a general object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to improve upon the state of the art.
Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a single access bore for inverting a lateral liner into a pipe to be repaired.
Yet another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a method for installing and positioning a liner within a sewer pipe that does not block off the sewer pipe.
A further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an inversion method for installing a lateral liner through a clean out that does not require cutting out the liner to reinstate service to a house.
A still further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an inversion method for installing a lateral liner through a clean out that does not involve a cutting or reinstating process requiring expensive equipment.
Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an inversion method for installing a lateral liner through a clean out that does not require additional time for a reinstating process or cutting.
Yet another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an inversion method for installing a lateral liner through a clean out that does not require or create the potential of causing solid build ups resulting from a reinstating process.
A further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an inversion method for installing a liner/bladder assembly through an access bore that allows the liner to be frangibly attached along the length (or portion of the length) of a bladder.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a method of inverting a liner into a pipe through an access bore wherein the bladder is outside the access bore and the liner/bladder assembly is within the pipe.
A further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an inversion method for installing a liner/bladder assembly through an access bore that allows the liner to be positioned along the length (or portion of the length) of a pipe using an inverting machine that does not enter the pipe.
A further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an inversion method for installing a liner/bladder assembly through an access bore that allows the bladder to be connected to an inverting machine outside the pipe and allows the liner to be positioned along the length (or portion of the length) of a pipe.
A further object of the present invention is to position the liner within the sewer pipe in a position adjacent the area of the sewer pipe to be repaired without blocking the sewer pipe.
A further object of the present invention is to create a liner/bladder assembly wherein the liner is frangibly attached to the bladder and the frangible attachment is created without the need for expensive manufacturing equipment or factory settings, but can be done easily and efficiently in the field.